CONDUCT VERY UNBECOMING: The morning after the Navy released its investigation into the January fiasco in which the gang that couldn’t sail straight blundered into the hands of Iranian navy, embarrassing themselves and the nation, it’s hard to grasp the enormity of the litany of failures. The Navy’s top admiral John Richardson said the actions of the 10 sailors “did not live up to our expectations of our Navy,” but that doesn’t begin to capture the slipshod and cavalier disregard for the professional standards documented by investigators. To understand that, you need to review the timeline assembled by our David Wilkes, who was shaking his head as he combed through the Navy’s 170-page report.
One of the most egregious and embarrassing moments comes when a fearful sailor refuses a direct order from his superior to take evasive action, and the officer acquiesces and subsequently surrenders his boats to the Iranians. The sailors seem unaware of the code of conduct they’re supposed to follow to avoid discrediting themselves or the U.S. government.
You can also read the full report at our site, which might be a good thing for Rep. Adam Smith to do. The ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee issued a statement that seemed to excuse the misadventures as just one of those things that happen when you’re having a bad day. “It can be easy to point fingers, but military operations are complex and dangerous, and things do go wrong.” Uh, actually this was much more than a “stuff happens” incident.
Good Friday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre), National Security Writer Jacqueline Klimas (@jacqklimas) and Senior Editor David Brown (@dave_brown24). Email us here for tips, suggestions, calendar items and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll be sure to add you to our list.
Want to learn more about Daily on Defense? See our introductory video here.
TRANSGENDER BAN LIFTED: History was made at the Pentagon yesterday as Defense Secretary Ash Carter ended the military’s ban on open service by transgender troops, with the new policy to be phased in over the next year. But Carter hadn’t even finished his opening remarks when he began take fire from Republicans on the Hill, who argue the change will compromise readiness. House Armed Service Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry accused the Pentagon and the president of “prioritizing politics over policy,” and over in the Senate James Inhofe said he will call for hearings. Notably absent from the Pentagon announcement was Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, which was seen by some as an indication of the resistance from some high-level military officers.
One recently transitioned soldier told the Daily Beast that he finally feels “liberated” after Carter’s announcement.
FAULT FOR ISIS: Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin said yesterday that the reason we have the Islamic State is due to corruption, Mariana Barillas reports. “Corruption pushes young people towards violence and extremism because they lose faith in institutions that are supposed to protect and serve them. And terrorist groups use corruption to recruit followers in their hateful crimes,” Cardin said at a hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
MORE VISAS: The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its State and Foreign Operations fiscal 2017 spending bill this week, which included 4,000 additional visas for Afghan interpreters who served with American troops to come to the U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who was blocked from increasing the number of visas through an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, praised the move, saying that the State Department will run out of visas by the end of this year without congressional action.
STARS AGAINST TORTURE: Almost 60 retired generals and admirals wrote letters to the Democratic and Republican platform committees calling on them to reject torture as an intel-gathering technique, Gabby Morrongiello reports. “As retired military leaders of the U.S. Armed Forces, we committed our professional lives to defending the national security of the United States and to upholding the Constitution. This is not, and should not be, a partisan issue,” they wrote, noting that “waterboarding and other so-called ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ are also prohibited by the Geneva Conventions and other sources of international law.” The letters come amid Donald Trump’s renewed calls to use torture in order to “fight fire with fire.”
THERE’S MORE: Three former administration heavyweights — Madeleine Albright, Leon Panetta and Eric Holder — joined forces to decry Trump’s foreign policy, Ariel Cohen writes. They’re part of the “National Security Leadership Alliance,” the political arm for the Center for American Progress. “We can’t lead if we alienate our critical allies,” Albright told reporters yesterday. “We have won every major war with powerful coalitions — not by going at it alone.”
DRONE CASUALTY REPORT: It’s coming, it’s coming, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters yesterday. The hold up? Cultural issues among agencies, Susan Crabtree reports. “What [President Obama’s] national security team and the intelligence community is attempting to do is break some old habits in bringing transparency to this element of our national security strategy and counterterrorism strategy,” Earnest said.
NEW AF CHIEF: The Senate confirmed Gen. David Goldfein as the 21st Air Force chief of staff Wednesday night. He’ll be sworn in this morning and settles into his new E-ring office on the 4th deck of the Pentagon.
OILERS: The Navy awarded General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company a $640 million contract to design and construct six oilers. The contract award covers the first ship. If all are appropriated through fiscal 2022, the contract would be worth more than $3 billion.
NOT FEELING THE LOVE: Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s outreach to Silicon Valley suffered a blow yesterday when Palantir, the data analytics company that is one of the most successful private Valley companies in history (it has climbed to a $20 billion valuation just a dozen years after its founding in 2004) filed a lawsuit in the Court of Federal Claims to force open the acquisition system at DoD. The case, managed by the law firm of super lawyer David Boies, claims the Army failed to consider already available commercial data/intel products like those produced by Palantir and instead clung to its own struggling system (called DCGS). The problem? The law (10 US code 2377) specifically requires government agencies, “to the maximum extent practicable,” to procure commercial items, but the Army’s process essentially prevented Palantir from competing, alleges the complaint. The Boies team calls it “a textbook violation” of the law. The court will decide, and the Valley will be watching.
SENTENCED FOR SMUGGLING GEAR: A Chinese national was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison after he was caught trying to send U.S. military equipment to China, Maria Biery reports. That gear included night vision and thermal imaging equipment.
DO FACTS MATTER?: OK, this is not technically a national security issue, but it is vital for anyone who considers critical thinking and policy based on evidence important. T. Becket Adams writes that more than 100 Nobel Prize-winners are urging activists and journalists to consider the science behind genetically modified foods.
JOLLY GOOD VIDEO: Watch B-roll of three F-35Bs make the first transatlantic flight for the variant. Some of the video was shot from the two KC-10s that provided 15 drinks for the jets on their way to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England.
THE RUNDOWN
Defense News: F-35 Facing Policy Kinks in Mission Data Files
Defense One: Air Force Officers Give New Details for F-35 in War With China
USNI News: Navy’s MAGIC CARPET Simplifies Carrier Landings; Interim Fielding This Fall
Defense News: US Air Force Declares Nunn-McCurdy Breach for OCX
UPI: Missiles to be tested at RIMPAC exercise
Army Times: Departing AUSA leader: Protect troop pay and benefits, stop shrinking the Army
Defense News: Interview: HASC Ranking Member Adam Smith
Military Times: U.S.-backed airstrikes destroy 120 ISIS vehicles in convoy
Wall Street Journal: Iraq Airstrikes Kill Islamic State Fighters Leaving Fallujah
Marine Corps Times: Marines in Iraq came under ‘numerous’ rocket attacks, commander says
Associated Press: Official: Airport attackers from Russia, Central Asia
Washington Post: Why airport attacks are nearly impossible to defend against
CNN: From Russia with hate
Defense News: Russian Frigate Again Plays Games With US Ships
Military.com: Putin Says Russia Won’t Enter Arms Race with NATO
Calendar
WEDNESDAY | JULY 6
2 p.m. Dirksen 342. Senate Homeland Security committee will examine the threat of ISIS online radicalization and recruitment, and how to counter it. hsgac.senate.gov
THURSDAY | JULY 7
8:30 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Rep. Mac Thornberry will discuss national security challenges facing the U.S. in light of the FY17 NDAA. heritage.org
10 a.m. Rayburn 2172. House Foreign Affairs committee will hear testimony on the administration’s reckless release of detainees from Guantanamo Bay. foreignaffairs.house.gov
FRIDAY | JULY 8
10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. CSIS and USNI host a discussion with Rear Admiral Charles Richard and Rear Admiral Michael Jabaley on the future of submarine warfare. csis.org
